Patents Examined by David Z Huang
  • Patent number: 12293653
    Abstract: Embodiments herein disclose a system for visually displaying information related to a fluid level in an above-ground storage tank, which may be enhanced to visually indicate the performance of selected tank sub-system(s). The system includes the above-ground storage tank adapted to store fluid, having a first sensor located in the tank. The sensor is in communication with a fluid indicator that provides a visual indication of a tank-level via a plurality of lights arranged proximate to an exterior surface of the above-ground storage tank. The plurality of lights are arranged so that when a first proportion of a light is electrified and illuminate, the illumination visually indicates a first detected fluid level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Reign 1 LLC
    Inventors: Richard J. Vanek, Rodney Montrose, Donald Conner
  • Patent number: 12287280
    Abstract: A bi-directional photoacoustic gas sensor includes a first photoacoustic cell, where an electromagnetic radiation source emits radiation to interact with an external gas and generate pressure waves that are detected by a MEMS diaphragm. A second photoacoustic cell has an interior volume and acoustic compliance that corresponds to the interior volume and acoustic compliance of the first photoacoustic cell. Processing circuitry within a substrate uses a first acoustic signal, received by the first photoacoustic cell, and a second acoustic signal, received by the second photoacoustic cell, to determine a bi-directional response of the gas sensor to remove noise and improve the sensor's signal-to-noise ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Parker, Nishit Goel, Stephen Bart
  • Patent number: 12281996
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor structure with a photodiode including: a well region with a first-type conductivity in a substrate, a trench in the well region, and multiple conformal semiconductor layers in the trench. The semiconductor layers include a first semiconductor layer, which is, for example, an intrinsic semiconductor layer and lines the trench, and a second semiconductor layer, which has a second-type conductivity and which is on the first semiconductor layer within (but not filling) the trench and which also extends outside the trench onto a dielectric layer. An additional dielectric layer extends over and caps a cavity that is at least partially within the trench such that surfaces of the second semiconductor layer are exposed within the cavity. Fluid inlet/outlet ports extend to the cavity and contacts extend to the well region and to the second semiconductor layer. Also disclosed are methods for forming and using the semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.
    Inventors: Siva P. Adusumilli, Mark D. Levy, Ramsey M. Hazbun, John J. Ellis-Monaghan
  • Patent number: 12275675
    Abstract: A combustion gas bleeding probe includes a gas pipe for bleeding a part of a combustion gas from a kiln, and a plurality of discharge ports each of which is provided penetrating through the gas pipe and each of which discharges a low-temperature gas in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of flow of a bleed gas bled by the gas pipe and that is directed toward a center of the flow of the bleed gas. The discharge ports discharge the low temperature gas such that a ratio of a momentum of the low-temperature gas per discharge port to a momentum of the bleed gas satisfies 1.2 to 4.0, and a value (m-1) obtained by dividing a ratio of a wind speed of the low-temperature gas to a wind speed of the bleed gas by an inner diameter of the gas pipe satisfies 1.5 to 3.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Taiheiyo Cement Corporation
    Inventors: Koki Hamada, Kensuke Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 12270186
    Abstract: A self-contained well water system is designed to be interposed between an external well pump and a plumbing system of a building. The system requires an installer or building owner to make only three basic connections for fully-functional operation: a single water inlet connection from the well pump to the well water system, a single water outlet connection from the well water system to a main input line of the building plumbing system, and a single power connection to provide electrical power to the electrical components of the system, and may also distribute power out to the well pump. The remaining components and the connections therebetween are configured and factory-assembled for maximum performance and efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Franklin Electric Co., Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Volk, Zachary K. Foster
  • Patent number: 12270747
    Abstract: A device collects material from air. The device swirls air within a fluid housing so as to deposit the material, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and other particles, from the air in a way that the material can later be analyzed. The device can be used to provide for detection of airborne organisms or properties of material in the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: ROOT APPLIED SCIENCES INC.
    Inventors: Sarah Placella, Andrew Gillies
  • Patent number: 12270749
    Abstract: An imaging flow cytometer includes: a flow channel in which an observation object flows and a length in a width direction is longer than a length in a height direction; an acoustic element configured to apply acoustic waves as standing waves to the flow channel; a light source that irradiates the flow channel with illumination light; an image sensor configured to image at least a line included in a cross section of the observation object crossing a flow line direction which is a direction in which the observation object flows in the flow channel by measuring or imaging the observation object passing through a position irradiated with the illumination light; and circuitry configured to generate an image in which the observation object is scanned in the flow line direction on the basis of a plurality of captured images acquired by the imaging unit imaging the line in a time series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Sadao Ota, Masashi Ugawa
  • Patent number: 12264986
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic bearing fault prediction, detection, diagnosis, and response system for combustion ignition engines, machines and/or coupled components of a combustion ignition engine and/or machine; a plurality of transducers, each disposed proximally or about each of the engine/machine components or engine itself; with at least one transducer with capacitance sensing abilities, each of the transducers disposed to react to changes in the dielectric constant of a nanosuspension circulated about the monitored component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Inventors: Carlos A. Rosero, Nannaji Saka
  • Patent number: 12259291
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining an amplitude A of a pump-induced fluid pressure fluctuation of a fluid which is regulated to a desired fluid pressure psoll by means of a pump. In this case, the method comprises providing (S1) a pressure signal of the fluid, determining (S2) the amplitude A of the fluid pressure fluctuation on the basis of the pressure signal which has been provided, checking (S3) whether the pressure signal which has been provided satisfies a predetermined plausibility criterion, and outputting or rejecting (S4) the determined amplitude A on the basis of whether the pressure signal which has been provided satisfies the predetermined plausibility criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: MAN Truck &Bus SE
    Inventor: Thomas Grünbeck
  • Patent number: 12259299
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for measuring the size of a leakage flow of a seal. In exemplifications of the disclosure, a leakage sensor is provided on a leakage side of the seal, said leakage sensor comprising at least one heating element and at least two temperature sensors which are in heat-transferring connection with the leakage flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Christian Maier GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Lukas Hoerger, Guenther Schwenk
  • Patent number: 12253436
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for leak testing by which occurrence of fine leakage from a work as a test object can be determined without being affected by a released tracer gas that is also released from a non-defective work. The method for leak testing includes a series of steps including a gas bombing step wherein a work W as a test object is soaked in a pressurized tracer gas, a work setting step wherein the work subjected to the gas bombing is set in a hermetically sealed container 10, a vacuum suctioning step wherein the hermetically sealed container 10 is vacuum suctioned by a suction device 20 and a measuring step wherein tracer gas measurement data are obtained by measuring a vacuum suctioned tracer gas with a detector 30. Tracer gas measurement data for a non-defective work are preliminarily obtained by performing the series of steps for the non-defective work having same specifications as the work W as the test object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: FUKUDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Futami, Takaaki Watanabe, Akimitsu Tanabe
  • Patent number: 12241812
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sensor system for monitoring the sealing of the connection between a sensor holder and a sensor that is mounted on the sensor holder. The sensor system includes a sensor holder, a sensor that is mounted on the sensor holder, and a leakage detector with a channel, which is arranged in the sensor holder and consists of one or more straight sections that are mounted perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventor: Fritz Lenk
  • Patent number: 12240528
    Abstract: A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module may have a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms the roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof module having at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle environment. At least one reflector element at which the electromagnetic signals can be reflected is associated with the environment sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventors: Michael Huelsen, Craig T. Marx
  • Patent number: 12235129
    Abstract: The method for calibrating a micromachined inertial angle sensor (2) comprising a support, at least one vibrating mass movable relative to the support, at least one transducer for exciting vibrating movement of the vibrating mass, at least one transducer for detecting a vibration of the vibrating mass, and at least one electrostatic transducer being capable of applying an adjustable electrostatic stiffness to the vibrating mass, the calibration method comprising the steps of the angle sensor receiving a predetermined vibrational excitation emitted by an excitation device (18) separate from the excitation transducer; the detection transducer measuring the vibration of the vibrating mass to obtain a measurement signal (Sm) from said measurement by the detection transducer; and transforming; determining, adjusting, and applying the electrostatic stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Nicolas Jean-Marc Frédéric Vercier, Bernard Chaumet
  • Patent number: 12222232
    Abstract: A removable signaling device of the exhaustion of a dispenser/diffuser of a liquid active substance contained in a container of the dispenser/diffuser, wherein the device consists of a central body from which project two opposite lateral arms, which surround at least part of the dispenser/diffuser, and an appendix which extends alongside the container and carries a self-powered liquid sensor facing the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: ZOBELE HOLDING S.P.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Deflorian, Cedric Morhain
  • Patent number: 12209942
    Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising a microelectromechanical, MEMS, capacitor comprising two plates and a gap between the plates, a gas conveyor configured to cause gas to flow through the gap, and readout circuitry configured to measure a capacitance of the MEMS capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy
    Inventors: Panu Koppinen, Teuvo Sillanpää, Markku Ylilammi
  • Patent number: 12196603
    Abstract: A method including the steps of providing a toothing having teeth with tooth flanks; measuring two or more teeth of the toothing, wherein the following steps are performed for each of the two or more teeth: measuring a segment of at least one tooth flank of the tooth, wherein the measuring is performed optically by an optical measuring device, extrapolating the measured segment to an extrapolated segment; and evaluating deviations of the extrapolated segments of the two or more teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: KLINGELNBERG GMBH
    Inventors: Christof Gorgels, Markus Finkeldey
  • Patent number: 12186902
    Abstract: An external gear includes a body, external teeth, a diaphragm, and a strain gauge. The diaphragm extends in a direction intersecting with an axial direction on another side in of the body the axial direction. The strain gauge is on at least one of a surface on one side of the diaphragm in the axial direction and a surface on another side of the diaphragm in the axial direction. The strain gauge is only in a region that is about a half or less of a radial length from one end of the diaphragm in the axial direction to the other end of the diaphragm in the axial direction with a radial midpoint between the one end of the diaphragm in the axial direction and the other end of the diaphragm in the axial direction as a center in a section passing through the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Nidec-Shimpo Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Takagi
  • Patent number: 12188798
    Abstract: An acoustic band-pass filter assembly includes an inlet, a microphone configured to receive acoustic energy from the inlet, and a plurality of resonator chambers disposed in series between the inlet and the microphone and configured to transmit acoustic energy between the inlet and the microphone. Each of the plurality of resonator chambers has a different cross-sectional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Intelligent Agricultural Solutions LLC
    Inventor: Marshall T Bremer
  • Patent number: 12191874
    Abstract: A method for precise acquisition of a signal of a sensor, by an evaluation and control unit which has a multiplexer at whose inputs there is at least one reference voltage whose voltage value is known, a ground potential of the reference voltage, a measurement signal of the exhaust gas sensor, and a ground potential of the measurement signal. A computer is connected downstream from the multiplexer via a transmission path and via an ADC that converts a voltage between its two inputs into a digital value. The method provides that a plurality of individual measurements are carried out in which switching states of the multiplexer are modified, and digital values are subsequently acquired at the output of the ADC. The computer calculates a measurement value, corrected with regard to offset and gain, from these digital values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Fabian Baumann, Bernhard Ledermann, Claudius Bevot, Florian Mezger